Buttonhole attachment for sewing machines



Dec. 23, 1947. J. HlcKEY BUTTONHOLE ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Dec.r 10, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. JAMES HlcKr-:Y

BYA

ATTORNEY Dec. 23, 1947. J, HICKY 2,432,992

`BUTTONHOLE ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINS Filed Dec. 10, 1945 H 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JAMES HIGKEY ATTORNEY Dec. 23, 1947.

J.' HxcKEY v `2.432.992

-BUTTONHOLE ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Dec. 10, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR JAMES HICKEY ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 23, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BUTTONHOLE ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES James Hickey, Portland, Oreg. Application December 10, 1945, Serial No. 633,955

4 Claims. 1

The present invention, like that described in my pending application Serial No. 563,221, now Patent No. 2,405,253, issued August 6, 1946, relates to a device, adapted to be attached to an ordinary sewing machine, and, when so attached, to perform the zig-zag stitching ordinarily required around a buttonhole.

An object of this invention is to provide a simple, improved means for performing such zig-zag stitching which will automatically cause double length stitches to be made at each end of the buttonhole so as to produce the desirable reinforcing and finishing at each end of the buttonhole.

A further object is to provide a simple and practical attachment of this nature in which will also be combined the usual adjustment means for altering the size of the zig-zag stitching.

The manner in which these objects are attained will behereinafter briefly explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a view, in isometric perspective, of the portion of an ordinary sewing machine head with my improved attachment secured in place, and also showing a piece of cloth on which the desired buttonhole stitching has been performed;

Fig. 2 is' a side elevation showing the near side of the attachment of Fig. 1, but with the two scale adjusters broken away for the sake of clarity;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the opposite side of the attachment;

Fig. 4 is a detail, in isometric perspective, of some f the coacting elements which automatically cause double-length stitches to be produced by the attachment at predetermined periods;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan View of the device drawn to a smaller scale;

Fig, 6 is a bottom plan view, drawn to larger scale, with the bottom cover plate removed and with a portion of the feed blade broken away;

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view similar to Fig. 6 but illustrating the feed blade and associated members in another position; and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section of the connection between the feed blade and forward oscillating arm.

Referring iirst to Figures l, 2 and 3, the buttonhole attachment has a main body portion I,

the forward end of which is secured to the sewing machine presser foot bar II, by screws IIS, in the usual manner, after the cloth-engaging element has been removed from the base of the presser Afoot bar. The attachment has a bottom feed blade I2 to which is secured a special cloth-engaging element I3. This cloth-engaging element I3 is in the usual form having a hollow rectangular opening and the sewing machine needle I4 passes through the same. The hollow rectangular opening in this cloth-engaging element I3 is wide enough to allow for the maximum length of zig-zag stroke, as the cloth `I5 is moved back and forth under the needle I4 by the attachment, and this opening is long enough to extend slightly beyond the ends of the desired buttonhole. The cloth-engaging element I3 also has the usual serrated bottom (as shown in Figures 2 and 3), for gripping the cloth I5 and moving it under the needle oi the sewing machine so as to cause the zig-zag er buttonhole stitching to be performed.

The shape of the feed blade I2 is shown in Figures 1, 5, 6 and 7. It contains a longitudinal slot I7 at one side, the purpose of which will be eX- plained later. Also it is formed with a central elongated opening I8 over which a bottom cover plate I9 (Fig. 5) extends. A suitable screw 20 holds the cover plate I9 secured in place and attached to the main body I0. This screw 2B eX- tends through a slot 6B in the cover plate and permits the cover plate I9, and therewith the feed blade, to be oscillated laterally. Suitable engaging means (not shown) permit the feed blade to move longitudinally in either direction above the cover plate while being supported by the cover plate.

A lever arm 2 I, pivotally mounted on the main bodylportion for up and down movement in a vertical plane, (shown more clearly in Fig. 3), has the usual forked end which is adapted to be connected to the needle carrier in the customary manner and thus be reciprocated with the up and down movement of the needle carrier and needle. A pawl 22, carried on the lever arm 2l, engages a ratchet 23 and is held in engagement with the ratchet by a wire spring 2li. The ratchet 23 is secured to a shaft (not shown) extending transversely through the main body portion and a screw 25 holds the ratchet 23 on the end of the shaft. The lever arm 2l is pivotally supported on the same shaft, and a cylinder 26, (shown in Figs. 1, 6 and 7), having a cam groove 2'I, is rigidly secured to the same shaft. Thus up and down movement of the lever arm 2| produces rotation of the cylinder 25.

A second similar cylinder 28 (Figs. 1, 6 and 7), having a special cam groove 29, is also mounted on a horizontal shaft in the main body portion. A shoulder 30 (Fig. 3), at the rear end of the lever arm 2 I, engages a ratchet member 3 I, which latter member is connected by means (not shown) to the shaft on which the second cylinder 28 is mounted. These parts are so arranged as to cause the second cylinder to rotate as the lever arm 2l is reciprocated, but to cause the second cylinde-r to rotate more slowly than the rst cylinder 26.

A flat U-shaped, stitch-control arm 32 (Figs. 6 and '7), having its inner end pivoted to the main body portion at 33, carries a cam groove follower 63 (shown in broken lines in Figs. 6 and 7) which is engaged by the cam groove 21 of the cylinder 26. The outer leg of the U-shaped arm 32 has a slot 34 overlying the slot I1 of the feed blade I2.

A second similar U-shaped arm 35 (Figs. 6 and '7) pivoted to the main body portion at 36, carries a cam groove follower 31 which engages the cam groove 29 of cylinder 28. The outer leg of this U-shaped arm 35 has a slot 38.

A threaded pin 39 carries a pair of engaging members, arranged one above the other, which are adapted to engage and ride in the slots I1 and 38 respectively. A clamping nut 40 (Fig. l), is mounted on the top of the pin 39 and the pin and its members are so arranged that the pin may be clamped firmly at any desired location in slot 38 but will still be free to slide in slot I1. A similar pin 4I (Figs. 6 and '7), carries similar members sliding in slots 34 and I1.

The cam groove 21 of the cylinder 26 (Figs. 6 and '7) is intended to produce fairly rapid lateral reciprocation of the feed blade I2 as the needle moves up and down, and thus causes the stitching to be performed in zig-zag manner. The cam groove 29 of the cylinder 28 is provided with only two offset portions so that the cam groove follower 31 will be located near one end of the cylinder 28 during nearly half the time the cylinder 28 is rotating and will be located near the other end of the cylinder 28 for a corresponding length of time. The cam groove 29 serves to control the position of the feed blade I2 so that the Zig-zag stitching will be performed along one side of the buttonhole for one period during the rotation of the cylinder 28 and will be performed along the other side of the buttonhole during a subsequent equal period. This arrangement is old and well known in the art.

A gear wheel 65, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2) having teeth on only half of its periphery, is secured to the shaft on which the cylinder 28 is mounted. As the cylinder 28 rotates, the teeth of the half gear 65 engage with teeth 42 (Figs. 1 and 2) located along the top and bottom of a, slot 4,3 in a link 44. The arrangement of the gear and teeth in the link 44 is such that the rotation of the gear 65 will cause the link 44 to move rst in one direction and then in the opposite direction. The link 44 is pivotally connected to a slotted arm 45 which in turn is pivoted at the top to a rear bracket extension 46 of the main body. A pin 41 (Figs. 1 and 3), adjustably secured to the slotted arm 45 by means 0f the clamp nut 48, is adapted to engage either of the vertical sides of a slot 49 in an upstanding leg 50 rigidly secured to the feed blade I2, the diameter of the pin 41 being slightly less than the Width of the slot 49. Thus rotation of the cylinder 28 results in the feed blade I2 being moved longitudinally rst in one direction and then in the other. At the same time the rotation of the cylinder 28, through the medium of the cam groove 29 and U-shaped adjustment arm 35, causes the feed blade to position the cloth so that the zig-zag stitching will take place along one side of the buttonhole while the feed blade is moving forwardly and along the other side of the buttonhole while the feed blade is moving rearwardly, and during all this time the stitching follows the zig-zag pattern due to the rotation of the forward cylinder 26 acting through the medium of the cam groove 21 and the U- shaped adjustment arm 32.

The mechanism thus far described is old and its mode of operation is familiar to those versed in the art. It will also be understood from Figures 6 and 'l that the width of the zig-zag stitching along each side of the buttonhole will be determined by the position of the pin 4I in the slot 34 of the arm 32. Thus when the pin 4I is at the left hand end of the slot 34 (as viewed in Fig. 6), a greater extent of lateral reciprocal motion will be imparted to the feed blade I2 by the cam groove 21 of the cylinder 26 than when the pin 4I is in the opposite or right hand end of groove 34. Thus the positioning of the pin 4I in the groove of the U-shaped stitch control adjustment arm 32 will determine the Width of the Zig-zag stitching. Similarly the position of theypin 39 in the slot 38 of the arm 35 will determine the spacing between the two parallel rows of Zig-zag stitching. These features are also known in the art.

Thus far I have described how the zig-zag stitches A and B (Figs. 1 and 7), on each side of the buttonhole are made and controlled. I shall now describe how the desired double length stitching C is automatically performed at each end of the buttonhole.

A stitch control plate 5I (Figs. 1, 4 and 8), is positioned above the U-shaped stitch control arm 32 and supported on the pin 4I (Fig. 8). The stitch control plate 5I has a longitudinal slot 52 of approximately the same width as slot 34 of arm 32 but slot 52 is shorter than slot 34. A pair of tongues 53, projecting downwardly from the ends of slot '52 into slot 34, hold the control plate 5I with its slot 52 in registration with slot 34 while permitting longitudinal movement of the control plate 5I with respect to arm 32. Engaging members 54 and 55 (Fig. 8), are carried by the pin 4I and are adapted to slide in the slots I1 and 34 respeotively. A washer 56 is placed above the top member 55 and the stitch control plate 5I rests on the washer 55 and is rmly secured to the pin 4I by the clamp nut 51. Thus the pin 4I and its engaging members are free to slide in the slots I1 and 34 when the plate 5I is moved longitudinally.

The control plate 5I has a pointed engaging finger 58 (Fig. 4) which is at all times in engagement with an aperture 59 in a slide bracket 60. This slide bracket 66 is slidably mounted on the side of the main body portion I0, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The rear portion of the slide bracket 60 carries a pointed tongue 6 I A notched disk 62 (Figs. 2 and 4), is secured to the end of the shaft on which the cylinder 28 (Fig. l) is mounted and is rotated with cylinder 28. The disk 52 has two diametrically opposite notches 63 (Fig. 4). The pointed tongue 6I of the slide bracket is held in constant contact with the disk 62 by a spring 64 (Fig. 2). The notched disk 62 is so arranged with respect to the gear 6'5 (which engages the link 44), that one of the notches 63 of the disk 62 will register with the tongue 6I whenever the link 44 reaches the end of its travel in either direction. In other words, the slide bracket 68 is permitted to slide forward for a brief period whenever the link 44, and with it. Ythe Iced blade l2, reaches the end of the forward or rearward travel. This of course occurs when the stitching is being performed at the ends of the buttonhole.

However, when the slide bracket 69 is permitted temporary forward movement by the engagement of the tongue 5l with one of the notches in the disk t2, the control plate 5l will also be moved forwardly by the slide bracket 60, causing the pin al, which is clamped to the control plate 5l, to slide forward in the slots 34 and I'I (Figs. 6, 7 and 8). Thus, assuming the position of the pin di to be that shown in Fig. 7 while the stitches on one side of the buttonhole are being made, the forward movement of the control plate 5I just described will then cause the pin 4| to move into the position shown in Fig. 6. Blut when the pin Ill is in the position shown in Fg- 6 the oscillation given to the feed blade l2 will be increased since the pin 4l is farther away from the pivotal point 33 of the U-shaped adjustment arm 32. In other Words, the wider zig-Zag stitching c will be performed as long as this condition prevails. When the pin Il! again returns to the position shown in Fig. 7, the narrower zig-zag stitching will again be resumed.

When the tongue El drops into oney of the notches t3 of the slowly rotating disk 62, causing Wider zig-zag stitching temporarily to be performed, the longitudinal movement of the feed will momentarily cease while the direcis being reversed, due in part to the slight play permitted the pin During this moment the tongue 6l rides out of the notch and causes the zig-zag sired for the sides of the buttonhole.

Thus by automatically changing the position of the pin dl in the slot of the U-shaped stitch control arm 32 at each end of the buttonhole, when the feed blade has reached the end of its travel the ends of the buttonhole.

Other means associated with the longitudinal travel of the feed blade I2 for changing the position of pin 4l in the slot 34, could be used in carrying out my invention, and it is not my intention to limit my invention specically to the means means for varying the extent of I have found to simple, inexpensive and practical.

by Said arm, mechanism for moving said feed blade longitudiadjustable element for moving the relative powhenever said feed blade nears the end of its longitudinal travel in either direction, whereby the extent of lateral oscillation transmitted to said feed blade through said element and first mentioned means will be temporarily increased.

2. In a buttonhole attachment for a sewing machine, a feed blade mounted for longitudinal and lateral movement, a slot extending longitudinally along one side of said feed blade, a laterally-oscillating, piVotally-mounted arm, a slot in said arm capable of registration with said slot in said feed blade, an adjustable connecting element slidable in said slots, mechanism for moving said feed blade longitudinally in alternate directions, and means associated with said mechanism and connected to said element for moving said element in said slots a greater distance from the pivotal point of said arm temporarily whenever said feed blade reaches the end of its longitudinal travel in either direction, whereby to increase the extent of lateral oscillation of said feed blade at such times.

3. In a buttonhole attachment of the character described, a feed blade mounted for longitudinal and lateral movement, a slot extending longitudinally along one side of said feed blade, a laterally-oscillating, pivotally-mounted arm, a slot in said arm capable of registration with said slot in said feed blade, a stitch control plate, a pin carried by said stitch control plate, said pin slidable along said slots in said arm and feed blade, mechanism for moving said feed nally in alternate directions, and means associated with said mechanism and connected to said stitch control plate for moving said plate and therewith said pin further away from the pivotal point of said arm whenever said blade reaches the end of its longitudinal travel in either direction.

rl. In a buttonhole attachment of the character described, a feed blade mounted for longitudinal and lateral movement, a slot extending longitudinally along one side of said feed blade, a laterally-oscillating arm, a slot in said arm capable of registration with said slot in said feed blade, a stitch control plate, a pin carried by said stitch control plate, said pin slidable along said slots in said arm and feed blade, a spring JAMES HICKEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Serani Number Date Oct. 20, 1925 blade longitudi- 

